July, 1995

Dear Silicone Survivors and Friends:

I have been thinking about the length of time I have been involved in this effort and also the length of time many others have been involved before me. I think that we all must rethink our priorities now and then, and I fully understand that some of the national and local group leaders have had to change how they help the cause or completely get out and regroup. Perhaps we should all take the time and effort to thank those who have made it possible for those of us who have followed in this battle. We should give special thanks to Mariann Hopkins, Sybil Goldrich, Kathleen Anneken, Janet Van Winkle, Marie Walsh, and Janie Cruise, who have given so much of themselves to this battle. There are so many others who have also helped that deserve special recognition, including Susan Boone, Kathy Price, Marion Koch, Patti Scher, Gail Armstrong, Rita Ward-Miller, Mary Jane Shipley, Marsha Stafford, Melody Mello, Joan Rice, Carol Mancini, Linda Thompson, Jama Russano, Marian Amparo, Linda Hilton, Laura Bowden, Joyce Loughead, Terri Davis, Toni Butts, Candice Rothrock, Susan Yensen, Jill Wood, Carrie Lee, Paula Kaye, El Requa, Susan Rodriguez, Melanie Ehrlich, Pam Ellis, Nadine Onodera, Georgia Cillo, Diane Stevens, and our foreign sisters, Fran Bates, Lorraine Williams, Cheryl Peters, Lindy Porter, Marlou Boots, Leonie Tidey, Sonia Trudel, Joyce Attis, Lois Ellis, Lori Dobson, Linda Wilson, etc., etc. I know I left many women out because there are so many who have given so much. The list is endless, and being left out does not mean that someone has done less for our cause. If your group or group leader has helped you, send a donation and/or a special card of thanks because it really helps keep up the morale of those who are fighting this issue for you. Donations are especially important to help keep the information flowing to all of you. We have lost many group leaders and fighters over lack of funds and support. Do what you can to help keep those leaders we still have.

Speaking of funding, I need to replace my copy machine. If any of you can help with donations for that specific purpose, please send them as soon as possible and note that they are for the copy machine. I need about $2000.00, and this is significantly more than the Coalition can afford. Remember, we are non-profit and tax-deductible. Think of all the help our information has been for each of you. We want to continue to give out that information to others and to also keep all of you informed. We need your help to do this.

I just had some blood work done, and my white blood count is lower than the last time, which was eight months ago. I don't have it done often because it is too depressing. It may be lower because I have been having some lupus flare-ups lately, so I hope that it improves soon. I have been quite tired and had difficulty getting anything done this last two months. I don't think the heat of the summer helps much, either.

Please support Congressman Traficant in his efforts to ask for a congressional investigation of the implant disaster. Contact your congressperson and Pres. Clinton to ask them to support Mr. Traficant in this endeavor. Fax your support to the Honorable Congressman James Traficant at (202) 225-3719. Be aware that only .0036% of civil tort suits are over product liability. Ask them what protection consumers have from unscrupulous manufacturers.

After the middle of July, please write or call Representative William Clinger, the Chairman of Government Reform and Oversight, 2157 Rayburn H.O.B., Washington D.C. 20515-6143. Address him as Honorable William Clinger, Representative, Chairman of Committee, and Members of the Committee. Ask them to institute a Congressional hearing, as requested by Congressman Traficant and others, into the dealings of Dow Corning and their manufacture and distribution of breast implants. The Committee office number is (202) 225-5074. Rep. Clinger's personal office number is (202) 225-5121.

A tragic note: Esther Rome, of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective, died last week from recurrent cancer from her original breast cancer. She was our advocate from the start, testifying in our behalf, and she was a friend of women everywhere. Remember the book, "Our Bodies, Ourselves." You'll see her name on it. Her passing is a very real loss for all women and truly for those of us victimized by breast implants.

The BOYCOTT of Dow Chemical and Dow Corning products has begun. The idea is not to put these companies out of business, but to give them negative publicity and hurt their pocketbooks just enough to let them know we are out here and can make a difference. The main products targeted are Zip Lock Bags, YES Detergent, Wood Plus, Vivid, Ultra Vivid, Tough Act, Texize, Stain Stick, Spray 'N Starch, Fantastik (use 409), Saran Wrap, Handi Wrap, Spray 'N Wash, Pine Power, Janitor in a Drum, Grease Relief, Dow Oven Cleaner, Dow Bathroom Cleaner, Curl Memory, Curl & Go, & Glass Plus. Xerox this list and send it to all your friends and relatives and ask them to boycott these products. Watch generics, as they are often made by Dow. For more information on the boycott, contact Louise Romans at (407) 699- 0849 or write to United Silicone Victims, P.O. Box 195591, Winter Springs, FL 32719-5591, U.S.A. The slogan is: Silicone Implant Makers are Life Takers, Boycott DOW! For a bumper sticker with this slogan, send $3.00 to the above address.

Call the 900 number to answer the question "Should breast implants be taken off the market?" The results MUST be reported to Congresspersons, FDA and others, so please participate and show that we care. Call (900) 263-6165. This is being done by one of our own, Jill Wood, of Boise, ID. Please support her in this project. The cost is $1.99. You only have to stay on the line until you hear "Your vote has been registered", then hang up if you don't need further information. If you stay on the line longer, it could cost you more. If you wish to contact her for information, call her at (208) 345-1972 or write to P.O. Box 5363, Boise, ID 83705.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Denver Conference: HOW DO WE HEAL FROM SILICONE? Coming early fall, stay tuned!! Prices will be very reasonable [$35-40 including lunch, at a nice hotel (with good food) with rooms around $60 for 1-4 persons] and we will have some new speakers on healing! If you live in the Denver area and want to help, call me! If you can make donations for postage to send out the flyers, please let me know. We want everyone to be able to afford to come. If you are local and will put up women, please let me know. If you can pick up women from the airport, please let me know. Tell us what you can do to help. Are you good at getting out public service announcements? Do you have contacts that will donate to our cause? Do you know good speakers who are helping women get well? Can you donate time to organize and can you woman a table at the conference? Do you know persons who would like to set up a booth on wonderful products that help us heal? Give us your ideas!! Call us this month!!

NOW, the National Organization for Women, will hold its national conference in Columbus, OH from July 21-23. Several of our members are NOW members and plan to attend. Work is underway to have the breast implant topic addressed at this meeting. If you would like to join, the fee is $35.00 and is on a sliding scale for those who cannot afford that amount. Plan to attend if you can. We think there will be a booth there with implant information. In Denver, the number for information is 830-2795. Check your white pages in the phone directory for local numbers. Please don't address the silicone issue over the phone. Come to the conference and tactfully help inform other women about silicone issues.

There will be a conference in Columbia, MO on Sept. 3rd. More information soon.

See last month's newsletter for information on the Toronto conference on Oct. 28th. Call (416) 636-6618 for more information.

LEGAL INFORMATION: Class action lawsuit: The latest message on the (800) 887-6828 number, recorded June 14th, tells us that 440,000 women have registered (by June 1st) for the class action, with 248,500 domestic current claims and 11,000 current foreign claims. 96,000 domestic claims were filed by the deadline with some documentation. In the current claimant status, there are approximately 20,000 U.S. women who have adequately filed claims for disease. There are 50,000 U.S. women whose claims have minor deficiencies. The rest of the claims (of the total of 248,500 for domestic claims only) for disease in the current claims group have more serious deficiencies and will be transferred to on-going claims status. Currently, reorganization and restructuring of the class action suit is under way and may drastically alter the terms of the settlement. These renegotiation talks have intensified recently, due to the bankruptcy petition of Dow Corning. The current ratcheting of grid amounts (if there is no reorganization) will be 12-16% if only the 20,000 women who have proven claims receive a settlement. If all of the 50,000 with minor deficiencies prove their claims (in the 30 days after notification), the 70,000 U.S. women would receive less than 5% of the grid amount. A $1 million dollar claim, at 12% would be $120,000 and at 5% would be $50,000. A $350,000 claim, at 12% would be $42,000 and at 5% would be $17,500. The actual pay-out will undoubtedly fall somewhere in between these limits, unless more funds are added to the settlement. It would cost approximately $24 billion to fully fund the current grid. Several manufacturers, including Dow Chemical, have been negotiating with the MDL for several months or more. The court has determined that there will be a decision in the next few months on what will happen with this class action, whether it will be reorganized, restructured, or cancelled. Stay tuned!

The Breast Implant Task Force, comprised of 35 members (currently), met in Birmingham from June 28-30. Rick Laminack spoke, Ralph Knowles spoke, and we met with Judge Pointer (9 of us). We learned a lot. Here is some of what we learned from Judge Pointer and Ralph Knowles: There will be a deal. There is some optimism that it will occur in July, but there is no guarantee. No attorney on the Plaintiff's Steering Committee or any of the over 100 attorneys helping them have been paid a dime. The Plaintiff's Steering Committee has been funded by a $5 million line of credit co-signed by the entire committee. If the settlement ultimately fails, they will have to pay it from their own pockets. Of the $78.5 million in escrow, about $5 million has been paid for the claims office and the mailing of notices (as well as newspaper notifications of the class action). The monies cannot be used for the women until an agreement is complete and there are no appeals outstanding. The whole class action agreement is being renegotiated. It will not look like the current settlement agreement except for the majority of the grid categories (not the same amounts). Atypical Connective Tissue Disease Categories B & C will be drastically reduced in amount and will need more than a grid letter stating the disease to earn any compensation in the renegotiated agreement. Atypical Connective Tissue Disease Category A will also probably be reduced more than the current agreement amounts. There will probably not be a rupture fund, but atypical category women MAY have an arbitration process where they can contest their award if they can prove a rupture. Fund 6, for attorney fees, will probably be scrapped and monies to pay attorneys will come from the settlements the women receive. The contingency fee amount will probably be limited to much less than any agreement you signed with your attorney (write the PSC and tell them how much you think your attorney deserves). If your attorney did a lot of work for your claim, s/he may deserve more than attorneys who advertised and who turned in claims for thousands of women. These attorneys should not receive 25%. Some probably should not receive more than 10%. Tell the committee this.

Just because a doctor may have turned in some fraudulent claims doesn't mean that all women with claims from that doctor will be eliminated. Documentation is the key. You cannot upgrade your grid category for this settlement, but can apply for an upgrade in future claims. Please turn in any suspected doctor and attorney fraud. Just because a doctor was helpful and went all over the country to try to help women get a diagnosis, this is not fraud. Just because an assistant doctor saw the patient and reported the information to the doctor, this is not fraud. The grid amounts in this new agreement will be less than in the current settlement. Dow opt-outs will undoubtedly be allowed back into the settlement. The Dow bankruptcy will possibly help those who are in the settlement, but will probably harm those who are not. Any settlement reached outside the class action may be pro-rated by the bankruptcy court, so that women may even receive less than in the settlement agreement. The appeals currently filed will be null and void if a new settlement is reached. There will be a new Fairness Hearing if there is a new settlement agreement. Write to the Plaintiffs Steering Committee and let them know that we will not take peanuts. It is important that you write NOW! Send SASE for the addresses, phones, and faxes of committee members.

Dow Chemical is negotiating a sum with the negotiating committee. Recently Marion-Merrill Dow was sold by Dow Corning for $5.2 billion. Dow Corning went into bankruptcy because Dow Chemical wanted them to do so. They thought they would not be held liable. It has backfired, and they have now been held liable. There is a Zero chance that the bankruptcy will not be approved. Dow Chemical will ultimately have to pay for some cases of opt- outs, but the struggle will take many years. Appeals will automatically be filed in any case where the plaintiff wins. It could take five years for opt-outs to receive any money if they go to court. A jury in many states could find that Dow Chemical was liable, but they also could hold that they were not, as they have in some cases. If there are massive opt-outs, other manufacturers will probably follow Dow Corning's lead and take out bankruptcy. We have again been reassured that we will continue to have the right to opt-out in any new agreement, but, from speaking to the women, it is almost a moot point. We will not be able to find attorneys who will represent many opt-out women. Most are refusing to do so, and more will refuse to do so if we turn down the settlement from the class action. If you are thinking about opting-out, MAKE SURE your attorney will continue to represent you or find a new attorney who will before you make that final decision. It is urgent that you do not opt-out and then hunt for an attorney, because you may not find one.

Dow Corning has approximately 29% of claims filed in the class action. Bristol-Myers Squibb has approximately 30%. The rest are other manufacturers.

A massive letter writing campaign to the manufacturers to let them know we won't settle for peanuts and also to let them know that we want $$$$$ for an emergency explant fund would be good. Make it clear that we're not going to go away. We want justice and we want a fair settlement. To completely fund the current grid we would need $28 billion. Send $1.00 and SASE for a list of manufacturers. Do it immediately, as it may make no difference soon.

You can ignore the bankruptcy notices from Dow Corning for now. If you need to take any action, it will come later.

MEDICAL INFORMATION: From PALS: A capsulotomy is NOT the same as a capsulectomy. It means incision into the capsule. A capsulotomy with implant removal simply means that the implant has been removed. A capsulectomy with implant removal means that the implant and capsule has been removed. Make sure they remove the entire capsule.

You have heard the comment that babies are given mylicon drops (which contain silicone) and don't have a problem. Three things to address to persons who tell you this are: 1) They don't receive them every time they are fed, as they do breast milk. 2) Mylicon does not contain secondary chemicals, such as copper, lead, aluminum, and platinum, as do the implants. 3) It has been proven that silicone crosses the placental barrier and that Dow Corning knew this over 20 years ago.

Children on medications: I hope that you will first detox your children and place them on hypoallergenic diets before you consider medicating them. You could be adding to their problems by putting toxic medications in their bodies. Give them chemical free foods. Take away the sugars and dyes in foods, as well as the additives. This will take a tremendous load from their immune systems and give their bodies the chance to heal.

Borax (a cleanser) if often well-tolerated by chemically-sensitive persons.

Dr. Manuel Casanova, Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Room 3 B121, Augusta, GA 30904-6285, Phone (706) 733-0188 Ext. 2682 is beginning a study on hair loss and its relationship to autoimmune disease. He is interested in why women with implants lose hair.

If you don't have insurance, there is a plan for $34.95 per year (CA $46.95) that will save you a lot of $$. It is from Smart Health Plus. Send a SASE for a copy of the brochure. It can save you up to 55% on prescriptions, up to 40% on dental bills, up to 60% on glasses and contacts, up to 60% on hearing aids, and up to 25% on other medical supplies.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: One significant difference between allopathic medicine and homeopathic or naturopathic medicine is how symptoms are viewed. In allopathic medicine, they are something to suppress. In alternative forms of medicine such as homeopathic and naturopathic, they are viewed as positive and adaptive responses to bodily stress. Stimulating natural processes is the goal of these medicines in order to help the body with it's own healing process. Homeopathic medicine believes that like cures like (the substance that causes the symptom cures the symptom), since the symptoms of illness are the body's efforts to normalize or create a balance. Conventional medicine utilizes this same practice in the form of immunizations and allergy injections. These stimulate your body's natural immunity to create antigens against disease or allergens. Unlike allopathic medicine, homeopathic remedies are harmless (have no side effects).

Preventive Medicine: How can you protect yourself from cancer? The number of cases of breast cancer in the U.S. have risen dramatically in the last 30 years. Recurrence is 27% in the first 5 years and 37% in the first 10 years. Less than 10% of the National Cancer Institute's budget is allocated for prevention studies. Since they do not seem to be willing to help us with prevention, what can we do?

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Clean them with a product called Fit, available at most grocery stores. There is clear evidence from all over the world that eating in this manner can prevent breast cancer. In Greece, women who ate the most vegetables had a 48% lower breast cancer rate. Women who ate a lot of fruit had a 32% lower rate of breast cancer. Seventh Day Adventists in the U.S., who are vegetarians, have lower breast cancer rates. Buy organic produce if at all possible, as these will not contain harmful chemicals and pesticides. Pesticides and chemicals have been linked to several forms of cancer. Eat plenty of broccoli and/or cabbage (and other produce in this family, such as brussel sprouts, brocciflower, etc). A substance called sulforophane in this type of vegetable blocks tumor growth. Eating these vegetables 4-6 types a week can change the type of estrogen your body produces to a form that does not stimulate the development of breast cancer. Eat soy. Japanese in Japan, who eat lots of soy, rarely get breast cancer. When they come to the U.S. and other countries that don't eat soy, their cancer rates go up. Soy provides a rich source of plant estrogens that compete with the estrogen your body produces. These plant estrogens work much the same way as the anticancer drug tamoxifen (without the side affects of tamoxifen). Soy may also cause changes in the menstrual cycle and these changes may protect women against cancers. Soy also contains a phytochemical that helps prevent the formation of new blood vessels, and this benefits women by preventing tumors from creating their own blood supply. Use olive oil. In the Mediterranean cultures, breast cancer rates are 1/2 of those in the U.S. Women who ate olive oil more than once a day had a 25% lower risk of breast cancer. Get rid of animal fat. Eat range-fed chickens and fish from non-polluted waters. If you eat animal products, make sure they come from stock that are not fed antibiotics and pesticides (In the West, Coleman Natural Light Beef, I'm sure there are other companies in other parts of the country). Exercise moderately (4 hours a week). This reduces your risk of breast cancer by as much as 60%. Exercise may cut back on harmful forms of estrogen. Avoid alcohol. Women who drink have higher levels of estrogen in their blood and urine. Women who drink moderately have higher rates of breast cancer. Moderate drinkers may have a 50% higher risk of breast cancer. Maintain your ideal weight. Estrogen is stored in body fat. Enzymes in body fat turn raw materials for estrogen into estrogen. Staying slim reduces the risk of breast cancer. Gaining weight (20 pounds) between the ages of 30 and 39 may increase breast cancer risks by as much as 52%. The more overweight you are, the greater the risk. Women more than 20% over their ideal weight may have a 1.33% greater risk of breast cancer. Breast feed your children unless you had recent or ruptured implants. The longer a woman breast feeds and the younger she was when she started, the greater protection against breast cancer. Avoid estrogen. It is associated with an increased risk in breast cancer. The link with birth control pills occurs mainly in women who used the pill when they were young and develop breast cancer before menopause. Some studies indicate that breast cancer is 80% higher in women who utilize estrogen or hormone replacement therapy. Avoid electromagnetic fields. Women have a 40% higher death rate from breast cancer when they work in this type of field. Take essiac. It is a herbal remedy used to treat cancer. It is also used as a preventive tonic. Take 1-2 ounces a day. It is available at health food stores.

Garlic protects your liver, protects against ulcers, relieves arthritis pain, stimulates your immune system, and prevents cancer. It is an antioxidant, prevents heart disease by lowering blood pressure and reducing blood clotting, and may lower your bad cholesterol. It increases good cholesterol. Eat at least 2-3 cloves of garlic a day, raw or cooked. If you prefer, use deodorized garlic capsules from your health food store. Take 1000 mg. 2-3 times a day. To fight infection, saute some garlic cloves, onions, and shitake mushrooms and eat them every day.

Goldenseal is a natural antibiotic. It should be taken for specific problems and should not be taken in the last three months of pregnancy. It increases the blood supply to the spleen and helps your immune system. The chemical it contains, berberine, is antimicrobial and is effective against staph, strep, chlamydia, E. coli, giardia, and candida (fungus). It prevents the microbes from attaching themselves to your cells. Antibiotics can kill the natural bacteria that prevent the overgrowth of fungus, goldenseal does not. Goldenseal reduces fevers. It reduces diarrhea caused by infections or bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella. It can reduce blood pressure because it contains hydrastine, a known blood pressure reducer. Don't take this homeopathic remedy indefinitely. Take it for specific problems only. Adult dose, 10-15 drops of goldenseal extract 2-3 times a day. It can be used as a vaginal douche. Children's dose, 5 drops 2-3 times a day. Capsule form: One to three times a day for adults. Purchase this at your health food store.

The above information came from the June, 1995 Health and Longevity newsletter.

Vitamin E slows down the effects of aging. It is an antioxidant, prolongs the useful life of cells, and is an anticarcinogen. Vitamin C boosts immunity and strengthens your immune system. It increases resistance to cancer and other diseases. Vitamin C levels in the blood decrease with age. Many elderly patients with joint pain have Vitamin C deficiencies. Vitamin C helps the body deal with mental and physical stress. Selenium strengthens your heart and protects your cells. Low levels of selenium may lead to more risk for cancer. Ginkgo Biloba may help reverse the effects of aging. It has antioxidant properties.

From the Women's Health Companion: Urinary tract infections (UTI) can be asymptomatic, especially after menopause. If you have frequent UTI, take 25,000 to 50,000 I.U.s of beta-carotene every day. It stimulates the growth of cells which line the bladder. It also helps maintain the structural integrity of the bladder. Take 5000 to 10,000 mgs. of Vitamin C daily. It keeps the urine acidified and helps prevent infection. (Note, if you have Interstitial Cystitis, this may cause problems.) Take 800 to 1,600 I.U.s of Vitamin E daily. It helps to protect cell membranes. Take antibiotic herbs instead of antibiotics. Goldenseal, blackberry root, uva ursi, and wintergreen have antibiotic properties. Garlic is also excellent. Ginger promotes good circulation to the bladder. Cranberry juice (not sweetened with high fructose corn syrup) can reduce UTIs. Phytoestrogens, such as dong quai, black cohosh, blue cohosh, unicorn root, false unicorn root, sarsaparilla, and wild yam root help build up the vaginal and bladder walls.

If you have physical limitations, tai chi may be the exercise for you. For information on this mind-driven form of exercise, check the book "Step by Step Tai Chi: The Natural Way to Strength and Health". It is adaptable to almost everyone's disabilities.

IMPORTANT: If you plan to apply for disability, set up a rapport with your doctor before you ask them to write a social security disability letter (or other disability letter). Don't just go in with complaints and expect the doctor to be your advocate. A doctor you have been seeing all along and complaining to about your symptoms, has been doing tests, etc. is far better than an unfamiliar doctor.

The investigation into criminal wrongdoing by Dow Chemical and Corning was dropped earlier this year. Do you want it reinstated? Write to Attorney General Janet Reno and tell her. Address your letters to Janet Reno and send them to Michelle Mannion. Address envelopes to: Had Enough, P.O. Box 6167, Akron, OH 44312-0167. She will compile them and send them en mass to Janet Reno.

Dr. Dean Edell, the nationally known radio and TV doctor, is not convinced that breast implants cause health problems. The week of July 17th, send him a fax with information on how silicone and saline implants harmed you. Send him short summaries of articles (like the NIH abstracts) to inform him. His fax number is (415) 986-4716. One of his infamous comments is: "Just because a woman has a few pimples, it doesn't mean the implants caused it."

Pick up the July issue of Redbook Magazine. Inside you will find a 4 page article on damage done by breast implants to children. We need to buy up all of these magazines IMMEDIATELY as they will be replaced by the middle of the month. DO IT TODAY!!!! Write and thank Ms. Kate White, Redbook, Editor in Chief, 224 W. 57th St., NY, NY 10019 for having the courage to print this. Send for a subscription to this magazine to thank them. Call your friends and ask them to buy this issue and subscribe. Buy one and put it in your doctor's office.

We understand that political pressure is being exerted on magazines and on news magazines (such as 20-20) to keep stories like this off the air and out of magazines. We need you to fax 20-20 and ask them where is the story on the children's issue. It was supposed to be aired in early June. Could it be they have succumbed to political (or economic) pressure and decided to scrap it? Lynn Scher herself interviewed Jama Russano for this story. BALCO was interviewed as were a number of doctors.

Please write to Robert L. Bartley, Editor of the Wall Street Journal, 200 Liberty Street, NY, NY 10281. Apparently he thinks that the victims of the tragedy of breast implants are the manufacturers. Send him a copy of the Redbook story. Tell him about the tragedies of the women and the children and their entire families. Tell him about the social and economic costs when women become ill and cannot care for their families, can't work, lose their homes, and are on Social Security or other forms of assistance, including Medicaid and Medicare.

On the same topic, did you see Rob Gordon's letter and also my letter in the Wall Street Journal on June 8th? It was a response to Dow Corning's Richard Hazleton's letter in mid-May. I don't have space to print these types of letters, but if you send $1.00 and a SASE, I will mail you a copy. Check your library, as they may have copies of these papers.

Sandy Finestone, Women's Implant Information Network (WIIN), P.O. Box 17831, Irvine, CA 92713 (714) 851-8381 believes implants are safe and should remain on the market. Send her convincing letters and REAL studies about the dangers of silicone and saline implants. Bombard her with constructive information. Please don't send nasty letters, as they only hurt us in the long run. Take the NIH Abstracts to your National Cancer Society members. Try to speak at their meetings!!!

I understand that a national newsletter editor (the same one who faxed negative information about me across the country last Dec. and Jan.) is now putting negative information about me on Prodigy. If you have prodigy, fight back. This harms all of us and plays into the hands of the manufacturers and their attorneys. It makes us look like flakes and hysterical women. It also makes us look like we can never get it together and work as a unit for the good of all women. I thank those of you who have tried to combat this vicious attack by this unethical person. As Susan Boone of PALS so nicely put it in her July newsletter, "Let's be thankful and supportive of ALL support group leaders and activists. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Please ignore gossip, criticism, and cynicism, whether in newsletters, fax messages, or Prodigy. Why give partial or incorrect messages to put down another person in a public forum. Why tarnish someone's name for your own agenda. You can't build a legacy by destroying the legacy of someone else, so be supportive, not distortive. Encourage positivity and don't lead by negativity. Don't be the reason we can't all unite. Be thankful to ALL leaders who have been active in our cause, whether they are active now, changing their focus, trying to heal, or giving time to their families and taking back their lives. We should never forget what our early leaders have accomplished by getting this message out. Thank you to every woman who has put time into our cause. Thanks to our heroines and heros!" Thank you, Susan. Why can't everyone have your level of ethics and morality?

PERSONAL COMMUNICATION: If you have had problems with a Jenny implant (Heyer Schulte RTV saline), please write to Dr. Jenny, P.O. Box 1112, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270. He would like to hear from women who feel this implant has made them ill.

If any of our silicone disabled sisters, Denver area, need a walker, I have a brand new one for only $10.00. Call Lynda, 469-8242.

I apologize if not everything sent to me is in this newsletter. I have an inch thick stack of other information, and no room to put it in. Maybe next time I will have room for more.

BOOKS: "Bending the Law, The Dalkon Shield Story", by Richard Sobol, University of Chicago Press (800) 621-2736, $14.95 plus shipping and handling.

We have three books: "Beyond the Myths" by Teresa Story, for $23.00 (includes S & H--shipping and handling), "The Silicone Breast Implant Controversy", by Dr. Frank Vasey, for $24.00 (includes S & H) and "Silicone Gate" by Dr. Henry Jenny for $23.00 (includes S & H). In addition, we have the book on "How to Obtain Social Security Disability", $12.00, includes S & H.

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE: Juice Plus, the live enzyme product that helps us with digestive problems, is available from C.O.S.S. for $179.00 for a 4 month supply or $50.00 for a one-month supply. Pycnogenol, the world's best free radical scavenger, is also available from C.O.S.S. for $30.00 (plus $2.20 tax CO residents) plus $2.00 S & H.

TASK FORCE: There is a new task force comprised of a number of old faces and some fairly new ones. We need group leaders, contact persons, and involved women to join us on a number of committees. The list of committees are: Research and Medical Study Group; FDA; MDL; International; Children; Fund-Raising; Grants; Boycott; Media; Congress; Justice Dept.; Tort; Emergency Fund; ATLA; Dow Bankruptcy; Financial; Legal; Attorneys; & Umbrella. I am fairly certain that all the committees need more members, so please sign up today. Contact Janice Ferriell (407) 791-2625 and Marti Stanek (704) 867-4998 for more information on what is involved with the committees and how to become involved. The next meetings will be held in Birmingham, AL on Sept. 15-17, unless the Fairness Hearing is scheduled close to that time, in which case we will schedule the meetings to coincide with the Fairness Hearing. If you wish information about the International Committee, call me, as I will chair that committee. I will be helping with the Research & Med. Study Committee as well as the Umbrella Committee.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed here are those of the editor and any contributors and are not to be construed as medical or legal advice. Any articles or information submitted may be edited because of space, content or grammatical errors.

COPYRIGHT: Our purpose is to disseminate information and provide support. This material is copyrighted so that we may retain control over content. You may reproduce this document as long as it is not done for profit and as long as no material, including copyright and subscription information, is changed.

DONATIONS: The Coalition of Silicone Survivors is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation with over 4000 members world wide. Our editor, Lynda Roth, is a survivor having heard the dread word 'cancer' followed by the reassuring 'will look like a normal breast'. In addition to having helped start many support groups, Lynda has appeared before the FDA, congress members, national TV in the US and other countries and lectures internationally. Your donation will definitely help others receive information about the dangers of implants. IF READING THIS NEWSLETTER HAS HELPED YOU, AND YOU THINK OTHERS SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO RECEIVE OUR MESSAGE, WE URGE YOU TO GIVE GENEROUSLY. Donations are tax deductible in the United States.

As a member you will receive a highly informative information packet and this newsletter, including the CURRENT ISSUE for the next 12 months. Remember in the US it's tax deductible. Your help is critical.

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